A theory of local photons with applications in quantum field theory

Abstract: In quantum optics it is usual to describe the basic energy quanta of the electromagnetic (EM) field, photons, in terms of monochromatic waves which have a definite energy and momentum, and satisfy bosonic commutation relations. Taking this approach, however, leads to several no-go theorems regarding the localisability and superluminal propagation of single photons. Unfortunately, without a local quantum description of the EM field it becomes difficult to describe the specific dynamics of light in the presence of local interactions or local boundary conditions. In this thesis we take an alternative approach and quantise the free EM field in both one and three dimensions in terms of quanta that are perfectly localised and propagate at the speed of light without dispersion. Our approach has two characteristics that allow it to overcome earlier no-go theorems. Firstly, we make a clear distinction between particles, which can always be localised, and the electric and magnetic fields, which cannot; and secondly, we remove the lower bound on the Hamiltonian, thereby introducing negative-frequency photons from basic principles. Afterwards we test our quantisation scheme by studying the propagation of light in a linear optics experiment analogous to that studied in Fermi's two-atom problem. Here we show that, unlike standard quantisation schemes, our approach predicts the causal propagation of localised photonic wave packets. We also use our theory to provide a new perspective on the Casimir effect in both one and three dimensions. In this part of the thesis we predict an attractive force between two highly-reflecting metallic plates without having to invoke regularisation procedures.